Page:Dumas - Tales of Strange adventure (Methuen, 1907).djvu/52

40 "So?"

"So, after taking her necklace, she asked to see my spray."

"Ah, yes!"

"And as my spray was ornamented with fleurs-de-lis, she told the man:

"You have made a mistake, my good Monsieur Boehmer, this diamond spray is not for the Countess. It is for me, and the proof is before your eyes,—the fleurs-de-lis of France there, which since the Queen's death I alone have the right to wear."

"And then?"

"And then the jeweller was frightened and dared not refuse to do what the Dauphine demanded. So he left the diamond spray with her, and came hurrying to me to tell me my property had been stopped en route."

"Well, and what would you have me do?"

"Why, I would have you make them give me back my spray, of course."

"Make them give you back your spray?"

"Certainly!"

"Make the Dauphine, that is to say? You must be mad, my dear."

"Mad? I mad? "

"Yes; I would rather give you another instead."

"Good! may I count on what you say?"

"Upon my honour, you may."

"Yes! and I shall get it, I suppose, in a year's time, or six months hence at earliest,—a pleasant prospect truly! "

"The delay will serve as a warning to you."

"A warning,—how a warning? "

"A warning to be less ambitious in future."

"I ambitious?"

"Certainly. You remember what Monsieur de Chauvelin said the other day?"

"Chauvelin indeed, he talked nothing but foolishness."

"But tell me, who authorised you to bear the arms of France?"

"Who authorised me; why! you did."

"I did!"

"Yes, you! The spaniel you gave me the other day bore them on his collar; why should not I wear them on my head. But there, I know the meaning of it all; I have been told."

"What else have you been told? come."

"Your plans, to be sure."

"Well, tell me my plans. Countess. Upon my word, I should be glad to hear them."

"Can you deny there is a project on foot for your marrying the Princesse de Lamballe, and that Monsieur de Chauvelin and all the Dauphin and Dauphine's clique are urging you to make this alliance? "

"Madame," answered the King in a severe voice, "I will not deny there is some truth in what you say, and I will go so far as to add I might do worse. You know this better that I do myself. Countess, you who have had me sounded as to another marriage."

This speech stopped the Countess's mouth, and she went and sat down at the further end of the room in a rage, and broke two of the china ornaments.

"Ah, yes! Chauvelin was quite right," muttered the King, "the crown is ill placed in the hands of cupids."

Then ensued a moment of sultry silence, during which Mademoiselle du Barry returned to the room, to say:

"Sire, Monsieur de Chauvelin cannot be found anywhere. They think he is shut up in his own rooms; but though I went myself and rang and asked for him at his door, he refused to take any notice."

"Alas! alas!" ejaculated the King, "can he have met with an accident? is he ill? Quick, quick, tell them to break in the door."

"Oh! no, Sire, he is not ill," the Countess declared sourly, "for on leaving the Prince de Soubise and my brother Jean just now in the Œil-de-Bœuf, he announced he was going to be at work all day on urgent business, but that he would make a point of being present this evening at Your Majesty's card tables."

The King took advantage of the Countess's return to a more yielding attitude to patch up a truce.

"Perhaps he is writing his confession," he laughed, " for the edification of his Monk at Grosbois."

Then turning to the Countes.

"By-the-bye, Madame," he said, "do you know, Bordeu's medicine works miracles? I mean to take no other. A fig for Bonnard and Lamartinière and all their systems! My new doctor is going